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January 23, 2012

Book Review: Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John

I love this cover! Its so Rock and Roll

At First Sight: Piper Vaughan isn't kicking off Senior year in the best possible way: even though she's a star student her little brother Finn keeps getting in trouble at school, her dad lost his job and her best friend moved from Seattle to San Francisco. And she just found out that her parents raided her college fund to pay for her baby sister's cochlear implant. And that's how she ends up making a deal with Dumb - the resident rock band of her school - to become their manager and get them a paid gig within the month, and they'll share equal parts of whatever money they make.

It was a desperate act, but Piper was a bit desperate and she's determined to make Dumb a success, even if everyone thinks it's crazy she wants to be the manager of a rock band since she's deaf.

As things at home get more strained, particularly with her Mom and Dad who don't seem to understand Piper's feelings now that Grace can hear - Piper focuses on the band. First enlisting her fellow Chess Club member Ed as a drummer, and then dealing with having Kallie Sims - the hottest girl of the school - joining the band as well.

For Piper, the clock is ticking and it's time to make it work.

Second Glance: I can't believe I had Five Flavors of Dumb for a year and didn't read it. It makes me feel pretty dumb myself as I absolutely loved it. I liked Piper, she came off as very human - she's a good person but she's also capable of doing some underhanded things and acting bratty - and I really liked how she came to bond with Tash and Kallie - the girls of the band. I loved how her relationship with her younger brother Finn was handled, as well as the jealousy and love she feels toward Grace.

The band's dynamics were awesome to see because it's such a living thing, the band, with shifting loyalties and craziness. And I thought Ed was just so cute.

Plus, this is a very musical book, you can feel how every one of the characters feels about music - even Piper - and how they are brought together by this awesome thing that is bigger than they are.

Bottom Line: Five Flavors of Dumb is an absolutely amazing book, I loved it. I raced through it and I want to read it again already. It was also my first favorite book of the year!

Favorite Quote:

“Well, I guess I don’t want to believe that this is just a stage, you know? That next month I’ll wake up and say, ‘That’s not me at all.’”

Cassie leaned forward like she was about to divulge a secret. “Honestly, one day you will wake up and say that. And no matter what godforsaken mess Kallie ends up with today, she will too. And so will Tash, and everyone else who comes in here. But you’re worrying about the wrong thing. Don’t worry about wanting to change; start worrying when you don’t feel like changing anymore. And in the meantime, enjoy every version of yourself you ever meet, because not everybody who discovers their true identity likes what they find.” - Piper and Cassie (Tash's mom)